Military: Suspected 9/11 mastermind confessed

[Shaka_Khan]

Military: Suspected 9/11 mastermind confessed

Transcripts show he claimed responsibility for planning 29 attacks

LINK

Does this mean both this guy and Osama planned the attacks together?

[Sasaki Kojiro]

He was widely believed to have planned it? Why is everyone all "osama osama" then?

[Lemur]

Osama is not the mastermind of Al Qaeda. He is a face, a voice, and a "inspirational" leader. Ayman Al-Zawahiri is widely considered to be the brains of the outfit. Al Qaeda had nothing to show for itself but a string of defeats and a lot of wasted money until Al-Zawahiri and his Islamic Jihad pals merged with them. If you're interested in understanding the enemy, I can't recommend The Looming Tower too highly. It's the comprehensive work on the subject, and its sourcing is a thing of beauty.

Apparently KSM was implicated some time ago as the mastermind of the 9/11 hijacking plot. The news is that he confessed in front of a tribunal.

[ShadeHonestus]

Get your tin hats on...soon will come the revelations that he was a member of the secret Bush society or the Masons....or wait, even better, a patsy. Where is Michael Moore when you need him, surely somebody here will step up...


BTW, is he wearing the al-Qaida version of the "wife-beater"?

[Lemur]

He would be wearing the orange coveralls that detainees wear in Guantanamo. Don't think a wife-beater is included.

Interesting detail:

Mr. Mohammed indicated in the transcript that some of his earlier statements to C.I.A. interrogators were the result of torture. But he said that his statements at the tribunal on Saturday were not made under duress or pressure.

[Beren Son Of Barahi]

He would be wearing the orange coveralls that detainees wear in Guantanamo. Don't think a wife-beater is included.

Interesting detail:

Mr. Mohammed indicated in the transcript that some of his earlier statements to C.I.A. interrogators were the result of torture. But he said that his statements at the tribunal on Saturday were not made under duress or pressure.

i don't see what he has to gain from admitting anything at all, they are going to neck him regardless of what happens at the "trial", mock trial that is.

p.s i didn't know wife beaters was an international thing... i thought that was an aussie thing... guess you learn something pointless everyday...

[Ja'chyra]

So if this is true what does it prove?

If you torture someone for long enough they'll admit to anything? Or

It's justified to lock up loads of people to find the one guilty one? Or

Bush and Gitmo was the way to go after all, and all us foreigners can kiss US butt, who cares if we illegally detained your citizens? Or

D - None of the above

[Banquo's Ghost]

"..... and I admit to being on the grassy knoll, planning to abduct and violate Mary Poppins and to being an agent of Goldstein."

[caravel]

i don't see what he has to gain from admitting anything at all, they are going to neck him regardless of what happens at the "trial", mock trial that is.

Infamy? Martyrdom etc...

[Adrian II]

"..... and I admit to being on the grassy knoll, planning to abduct and violate Mary Poppins and to being an agent of Goldstein."

Sorry, but I already confessed to that last week. And not, I am happy to declare, under any torture or duress. No Sir.

[econ21]

I share BG's skepticism about this. Fessing up to 9/11 is one thing - someone masterminded it afterall. But I just don't find it plausible that one man was responsible for so many other high profile attacks. Its just too neat and tidy. And perversely one reason I don't believe it is that implies the counter-terrorism services are too incompetent. If global terrorism was this centralised, it would not be so hard to beat.

But what do I know? May be it is true. In which case, the CIA, FBI, MI6 etc should all be closed down for being utterly useless.

Mohammed said he was involved in planning the 2002 bombing of a Kenya beach resort frequented by Israelis and the failed missile attack on an Israeli passenger jet after it took off from Mombasa, Kenya. He also said he was responsible for the bombing of a nightclub in Bali, Indonesia. In 2002, 202 were killed when two Bali nightclubs were bombed.

....

He also claimed he shared responsibility for assassination attempts against Pope John Paul II and Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf.

In all, Mohammed said he was responsible for planning 28 attacks and assisting in three others. The comments were included in a 26-page transcript released by the Pentagon, which blacked out some of his remarks.

[Husar]

I always though my grandpa from my mother's side died when I was one year old but when I saw that pic.....from the pics I remember that could be my grandfather, I think.

[BDC]

Of course, as it's a closed trial no one will ever believe this. Whether he did it or not is rather irrelevant, America will get its bogey man, although no one will ever be really sure if it was just a set up or not. Kids will probably do history projects on it in 50 years.

[ezrider]

Holding a guy for 4 years in Gitmo is bound to make anyone admit to anything. Even that he he wasn't tortured and all his statements were his own.

I suppose the main reasons have to do with tangible results for the WOT, a justification of Gitmo and this statement is, at least, another dose of scare stories to keep the Doubting Thomases in line.

Why would Al Qaeda want to kill Jimmy Carter? What did he ever do to anyone?

[Idaho]

After 4 year in Gtmo, I wouldn't be suprised if he confessed to wearing women's underwear whilst doing the vaccuming. What's the point of this?

Another own-goal by the US government.

[econ21]

Why would Al Qaeda want to kill Jimmy Carter? What did he ever do to anyone?

I don't know - maybe Camp David? Egypt making peace with Israel is a big issue for Middle East extremists and cost Sadat his life.

Also, it may be like targeting the Pope or 9/11 itself - committing some particularly outrageous acts of terrorism help generate the backlash that the extremists feed off.

[KukriKhan]

One more paving stone on the road to "Global War on Terrorism; WE WON!!" -ville, a made-for-TVnews movie, coming to your living room in August '08, just in time for US elections?

[Devastatin Dave]

BTW, is he wearing the al-Qaida version of the "wife-beater"?

He kinda looks like Ron Jeremy to me. I wonder if they've got a "money shot"?

[Devastatin Dave]

So if this is true what does it prove?

If you torture someone for long enough they'll admit to anything? Or

It's justified to lock up loads of people to find the one guilty one? Or

Bush and Gitmo was the way to go after all, and all us foreigners can kiss US butt, who cares if we illegally detained your citizens? Or

D - None of the above

You forgot E) You'll always find a liberal somewhere to defend any terrorist.

[BDC]

You forgot E) You'll always find a liberal somewhere to defend any terrorist.

Heh.

He might actually be guilty after all. That wouldn't explain the need for a secret trial to convict him then though.

Damn US government. If you have the right man, try him properly. Don't make it look like he isn't the right man, panic, and sit on him for four years before trying him in secret. No one will ever believe you.

[ShadeHonestus]

He kinda looks like Ron Jeremy to me. I wonder if they've got a "money shot"?

lawl

[ajaxfetish]

Heh.

He might actually be guilty after all. That wouldn't explain the need for a secret trial to convict him then though.

Damn US government. If you have the right man, try him properly. Don't make it look like he isn't the right man, panic, and sit on him for four years before trying him in secret. No one will ever believe you.

That's the thing I don't like about it. I support hunting and trying terrorists, but these methods are seriously flawed.

Ajax

[Seamus Fermanagh]

Damn US government. If you have the right man, try him properly. Don't make it look like he isn't the right man, panic, and sit on him for four years before trying him in secret. No one will ever believe you.

I understand your preference for an open trial. In the main, justice is best served in public. A public trial, however, would also involve a public defense and cross-examination during which his defense might provide numerous insights into any penetration agents we may have, persons we have co-opted, etc. Intelligence-sensitive trials are often conducted under "secret" restrictions -- a necessary limitation, however regrettable.

[Goofball]

He kinda looks like Ron Jeremy to me. I wonder if they've got a "money shot"?

Thank you! I knew he reminded me of somebody but couldn't put my finger on it. It's been bugging me all morning.

[Lemur]

A public trial, however, would also involve a public defense and cross-examination during which his defense might provide numerous insights into any penetration agents we may have, persons we have co-opted, etc. Intelligence-sensitive trials are often conducted under "secret" restrictions -- a necessary limitation, however regrettable.

Hmm, intel has a shelf life, and it ain't indefinite. We've been holding this guy for how long? Three years or so? I guess there's an outside chance that something could come up at his trial that's still relevant on the ground. Unlikely, but possible. It seems rather more likely that our government finds it expedient to hold secret trials when permitted. Who in their right mind wants to put up with a public trial if they don't have to?

And DevDave,

[Tribesman]

I understand your preference for an open trial. In the main, justice is best served in public. A public trial, however, would also involve a public defense and cross-examination during which his defense might provide numerous insights into any penetration agents we may have, persons we have co-opted, etc. Intelligence-sensitive trials are often conducted under "secret" restrictions -- a necessary limitation, however regrettable.

A very good point Seamus , especially considering that one of the people already convicted of a crime that Khalid has apparently admited to seems to have worked for both Britains MI6 and Pakistans ISI .

[Xiahou]

Hmm, intel has a shelf life, and it ain't indefinite. We've been holding this guy for how long? Three years or so? I guess there's an outside chance that something could come up at his trial that's still relevant on the ground. Unlikely, but possible. It seems rather more likely that our government finds it expedient to hold secret trials when permitted. Who in their right mind wants to put up with a public trial if they don't have to?

You honestly think that human intelligence resources, technology and methodologies only have "shelf life" of less than 3yrs? Exactly how long, then, is it until a covert officer or informant has exceeded their shelf life? I would've thought that a covert agent has a career that spans more than 3yrs- apparently you know better. How long should it be before they're drug into a public courtroom and put on national TV to explain exactly what they did and who their contacts were? Less than 3 years obviously.

So, let's assume for just a second you're right- does that mean suspects should be held until this "shelf life" has expired and then tried openly? Or should they be tried sooner in secret? I'm really interested in your answers....

[BDC]

There should be more evidence against someone than just some paid informer's statements. You know, to prove they are guilty.

Besides Afghanistan and al-Qaeda have been so thoroughly gutted recently I doubt many people are left in useful roles.

[Bijo]

Military: Suspected 9/11 mastermind confessed

Transcripts show he claimed responsibility for planning 29 attacks

LINK

Does this mean both this guy and Osama planned the attacks together?

That article is useless, as many are. There's no way for the ordinary (or not so ordinary) person to know whether the information therein is based on truth. There are so many things we don't know, and so many possibilities, that there's one thing we can always conclude for sure in such cases: we don't know. We can at least be very suspicious about authorities and information, as they're still controlled by humans who might have "certain agendas" to fulfil.

[Tribesman]

You honestly think that human intelligence resources, technology and methodologies only have "shelf life" of less than 3yrs?

Way to miss the point Xiahou .
Its apparently 48 hrs isn't it , after their capture has become known
Though you have a point about methodology and technology . Both of which have evolved leaps and bounds since the capture , leaps and bound on very big springy stilts you could say .
Hey this nut is probably using technology and methodology from those things you used to tout quite often here as "Al-qaida" manuals proving saddams links to Osama remember the book written by a US special forces sergeant and the book bought from a Californian survivalist bookstore
So your point was that the methods and technology are just sooooo last season wasn't it
Damn that shelf life , I wonder if they are still in print in America , it could have saved a whole heap of money if the investigators had just bought the books .

So now for "shelf life" of operatives who are not captured , those that just change jobs.....errrrr...thats 5 years isn't it